In the parliamentary elections held in Bangladesh on Thursday, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has won a decisive majority. According to preliminary results, BNP has secured 165 out of 299 seats.
BNP chairman Tarique Rahman, the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, has already won in the Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6 constituencies. Having returned to Bangladesh recently after 17 years in the United Kingdom, Rahman’s path to the prime ministership appears nearly certain.
The main opposition, the Jamaat-e-Islami coalition, has so far won 45 seats, while the National Citizens Party (NCP) leads in six constituencies. Other parties and independent candidates have secured three seats. The Election Commission has yet to release the final official results.
The elections were marred by some violent incidents. BNP leader Mohibuzzaman Kochi was killed in clashes at an open polling station, and three people were injured in an explosion in Gopalganj.
Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina criticized the elections as fraudulent and called for their annulment, claiming that her party, the Awami League, was barred from participating.
Over 36,000 polling centers were active for voting, and a nationwide referendum on the National Charter was also conducted, with 65.3% of voters supporting constitutional amendments.
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